Wisconsin Wild Mushroom Forager Certification Course
The registration form is at the end of the page!
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) asked The Wisconsin Mycological Society (WMS) to create a class with the objective of protecting the public from foodborne illness and accidental poisoning in mushroom sales outside of farmers markets - namely sales to food/grocery stores and restaurants. We have designed this class independently from any other mycological society or academic program. It is customized for Wisconsin as an environment, and for the species currently approved for sale in Wisconsin. This program will help protect the public and support good conduct and trust between wild foraged mushroom sellers and purchasers.
The course includes:
- a PDF study guide, sent to you by email - you maintain access to this study guide for ongoing reference
- a day of instruction in the curriculum in-person
- administered test on the curriculum in-person, that same day
- a break for lunch with catering available
- grading of your test and communication of your results within 14 days of testing
- if passing, 3 year certification in the state of Wisconsin to sell approved wild foraged fungi to grocery stores and restaurants
- if passing, a paper card printed showing you are certified + PDF copy of that card
- the card includes a QR code that leads to a webpage maintained by WMS affirming your certification and displaying the contact details for you or your business which you choose to have visible
- the cost of "recertification" following your 3 years of certification expiration date will be less than the initial cost of certification
The course covers:
- key identification practices for approved species for sale to grocery stores and restaurants in Wisconsin
- correct handling and storage of wild harvested fungi for sale
- use of "Wisconsin Statement of Sale for Wild Mushrooms" forms to document your transactions
Wisconsin Wild Mushroom Currently Approved Species List
Morels - all WI species in genus Morchella
Chanterelles - all WI species in genus Cantharellus
Trumpets - all WI species in genus Craterellus
King Boletes / Porcini - all WI species in Boletus edulis clade
Oyster mushrooms - all WI species in genus Pleurotus
Hedgehog mushrooms - all WI species in genus Hydnum
Lobster mushrooms - Hypomyces lactifluorum on species of Lactifluus and Russula
Lion’s Mane, Bear’s Head, and Comb Tooth - all WI species in genus Hericium
Matsutake - in Wisconsin our species is Tricholoma magnivelare
Maitake / Hen of the Woods - Grifola frondosa
Chicken of the Woods - Laetiporus cincinnatus and Laeitporus sulphureus only
"Salisbury Steak of the Woods" / Resinous polypore - Ischnoderma resinosum
Pheasantback / Dryad's saddle - Cerioporus squamosus
Giant Puffball - Calvatia gigantea
Ganoderma Species considered Reishi in WI - Ganoderma tsugae, Ganoderma applanatum, Ganoderma sessile
Chaga - Inonotus obliquus
Turkey Tail - Trametes versicolor
If it is not on this list, and it is a Wisconsin wild foraged fungi sold fresh and unprocessed you will not be able to legally sell to grocery stores, restaurants, or any purchaser for grocery stores or restaurant use in any venue (i.e., a chef buying from you at a farmer's market). We are able to expand the species covered over time, and are interested in feedback from you, the mycological community.
Who is required to gain this certification, and by when? How will it be enforced, and by who?
It is our understanding from our conversations with the WI DATCP that this certification is required Starting in January 2024 for any person selling fresh, unprocessed, non-imported, wild foraged fungi to grocery stores, restaurants, or any agent purchasing on behalf of grocery stores or restaurants. The law will be enforced by health inspectors, who will check for appropriately filled out Wisconsin Statement of Sale for Wild Mushrooms forms as filled out by you and held by the purchasers of your wild foraged fungi for 90 days.
Imported wild foraged fungi from another state are not covered under this regulation, and do not require this certification or Statement of Sale process. However, these imports may be subject to some other form of regulation. Please follow up yourself with state regulators if you are unsure.
It is very much in the best interests of sellers of wild foraged fungi covered under this law to obtain this certification, comply with the documentation, and support your buyers in following the law and having a good experience purchasing your fungi. You represent yourself, your business, and the community of wild foraged fungi sellers as a whole.
Is this course open to those who are interested from a purely educational standpoint?
Yes! You are very welcome to sign up regardless of your intentions of being certified, or using your certification for business purposes. You will be able to register as a course taker who intends to take the test at the end and therefore potentially obtain certification, or as a course taker who will not take the test and not obtain certification, but who will be fully welcome to a seat in the class and learning engagement with the teacher and teaching assistants.
Course with testing for certification is: $125.00
Course without testing and without potential certification is: $80.00
Retaking the test at a later course date within the same year: $15.00 (available if not passing in your first try)
If you are experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to us privately about paying by installments with no added cost.
You will have each certification listed besides your name and preferred contact information on our website -- this help you will establish your history and experience in the field!
Registration policies:
If you register for a specific date, you are counting toward the numbers we expect for that class. For this reason, cancellation with refund is only available 5 days or more prior to your course date, except in cases of unforeseen injury, illness, or other catastrophe. If you miss your registered date we can work to reschedule you.
If you have not yet confirmed a specific date but pre-registered and need to cancel, you can reach out to us and can be granted a full refund.
There will be more course dates throughout this year to be sure everyone who wants or needs certification in Wisconsin is able to access it. We are currently planning those dates and will update this page when they are set.
If you register for a specific date, you are counting toward the numbers we expect for that class. For this reason, cancellation with refund is only available 5 days or more prior to your course date, except in cases of unforeseen injury, illness, or other catastrophe. If you miss your registered date we can work to reschedule you.
If you have not yet confirmed a specific date but pre-registered and need to cancel, you can reach out to us and can be granted a full refund.
There will be more course dates throughout this year to be sure everyone who wants or needs certification in Wisconsin is able to access it. We are currently planning those dates and will update this page when they are set.
"Red Lobster" mushroom photographed by Mariah Rogers at the WMS 2022 Northwoods Foray - observed here on iNaturalist: www.inaturalist.org/observations/134907142
